I’ve heard of similar techniques using masks on the back of your head to discourage tiger attacks in villages close to wild tiger populations.

As I recall, it gets less effective over time because tigers are not stupid, just risk-averse. They learn with repeated exposure.

I’m going from memory. I’ll try to dig up sources when I have time.

Edit: Found it on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_attacks_in_the_Sundarbans#Precautions

Fishermen and bushmen originally created masks made to look like faces to wear on the back of their heads because tigers always attack from behind. This worked for a short time, but the tigers quickly caught on to the ruse, and the attacks reportedly continued. One local honey gatherer, Surendra Jana, 57, summarised the general feeling of the tigers adapting to their efforts: “Before we could understand the way they attacked…We don’t feel safe any more, knowing our brothers have been attacked in spite of the tricks we use.”